The Espadas
by VeryVeryHappyTaffy
Summary: A story about the Espadas! Old characters are definitely here! Ulquiorra, Starrk, Barragan, GrimmJow, Nnoitra, Szayel, and OC espadas!. Action, Romance, some pairings, OC's, and definitely Alt timeline! Not only that, but an alternate FKT battle upcomin
1. Completion

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Bleach.

The Primera

A creature with a white mask on screams in pain. The head thrashes while limbs flail in a whirlwind of bluish skin. As it writhes in agony it gives one last roar before falling to the ground, beaten, dead. The body splashes the sand around it in the desert covered by eternal night.

_I am alone_.

A young girl sitting next to a forlorn man looks on emotionlessly. This was one of the many hundreds already that had died just from their presence. The man, with scraggly shoulder length hair had covered them both up with a ragged remains of some clothing, had the same blank, emotionless expression on his face. In their many years of wandering the desert, their own companionship was the only company they could find.

"Look, Starrk. There's a guy coming…"

Starrk, the long brown haired man, turns his head to find another smiling individual with a clean white robe. A single lazy strand of hair hung from his face. He has a sword attached to his belt.

Hands in the folds of his robes, he casually asks "Impressive. Did you kill all these hollows?" he gestures nonchalantly to the mountains of creatures lying dead around them.

"No…they just died on their own." Starrk responds.

"You seem strong. We're looking for some allies."

"What a coincidence...so were we. Are your friends strong?"

"Come and see for yourself".

Starrk and the girl share a glance. They both knew that this could be their one chance to find some friends, to find companions and to escape their loneliness.

"Alright. You don't seem like you'll die from being around us."

The man smirks, and turns away.

"Come on, let's go Lillynette." He says as he walks into the empty, infinite desert.  
:

-Five years later—

"The Primera"?

Starrk stared at his tattoo, etched onto his left hand.

"Ha! That means we're the strongest?" Lillynette bounced around the colorful room that the two shared. Suddenly, she stopped and stared at him seriously. "But that means you have a big responsibility. Lord Aizen's placing his faiths in you."

"I know." Starrk said lazily. "I think it's just a pain in the ass…just like our release."

"And that fat and ugly old man! Plus the blue haired psycho and the long haired freak. They're going to be Jealous." A sly smile spread across the girl's face. "Maybe you'll have to _fight _them, Starrk!"

"I'd rather not" with that he gave a big yawn and rolled over on his bed.

"Hey!" affronted by Starrk's terrible attention span, Lillynette sped over and tackled him as hard as she could. "Listen to what I'm saying!"

"Aaaagh!" Starrk gurgled. "Lillynette, let me get some rest!" he weakly tried to fend her off, but in vain.

Lillynette froze, and the reason why soon became clear. Starrk was surprised at her stopping, although he didn't show it. He cracked open one eye, and in the doorway, was the 'fat and ugly old man' she had made reference to earlier.

The tension in the air remained for a few minutes, as the newcoming glared at the pair. It seemed that his eyes were radiating with such intense spiritual pressure that they were heating the room up. Lillynette shuddered a bit. Starrk, however, paid him little respect and shut his eye, turning over again.

The silence lasted for a few more seconds, after which followed a vicious grunt and the sound of empty footsteps echoing across the halls of the fortress. Lillynette stood frozen in fear, paralyzed by the intensity of the spiritual pressure in the room for a few more moments before collapsing into a pathetic heap at the base of his bed.

"Lord Aizen!" A dark skinned man with braids and a blindfold asks his smiling superior. He never seemed to have frowned at any point in time. "Barragan Luisenbarn is requesting an audience with you." The same old man from before emerged from the shadows.

"Why did you demote me to Segunda Espada?" He growled menacingly through clenched teeth. "Is the new pathetic excuse of an Arrancar really that impressive? Or is this one of your cruel tricks?" He pounded his battleaxe into the ground, creating minor tremors in the open room. "Answer me!"

The one named Aizen seemed to peacefully ponder this question in his chair set upon the pedestal before softly saying. "You will soon see for yourself." Aizen's smile widened. "If you have a problem with it, I suggest you resolve it with the new primera."

"Then that is exactly what I will do." Barragan turns to leave, but booms once more before he takes a single step. "I will allow no one to disrespect me. Not even you, _Lord Aizen_" he says with contempt. "I am the King of Hueco Mundo, and Ruler I shall be once again. You will be usurped, and I suggest that you watch your pathetic back before you go to sleep ever again." With that, the whirlwind that is his spiritual pressure and him exits the room in the most pretentious manner possible, even for Barragan.

Aizen's smile simply got wider.

"So, Ulquiorra, what do you think of the new espada?"

"He's a weakling! Aizen just made him first to piss Barragan off!" A blued haired and muscular Arrancar cracks a laugh. "I bet one of these would kill him easy!" he began charging a cero towards the black sky of the night desert.

"I wasn't _asking _you, Grimmjow. I was asking Ulquiorra." The long haired man walking next to him spat.

"Ah, don't get your panties in a twist, Nnoitra. We all know why you act like that." He cracked up again, while the red cero in his hand got larger.

The sullen yet meditative looking Espada, with an emo face and a shell covering his medium length length black hair, flicked two of his fingers, sending a bolt of energy at Grimmjow's fist. The cero dissipated and disappeared.

"Do not fire that." Were the simple words he gave. His expression nor his body posture changed.

Grimmjow scowled. "And just who are you to tell _me_ what to do?" he asked, putting his hand behind his back.

"I am the five. You are seven. Do you wish to contest that?" Ulquiorra opened his eyes very narrowly and stared at Grimmjow.

The latter said nothing for a few seconds, and then his face cracked into the same maniacal smile as before. "Sure thing…uLQuiOrrA!"

His hand came from behind his back to reveal a charging red cero. His other hand went to his sword which he quickly drew to cut the top side of his wrist with. Blood splashed onto the charging cero, turning it blue. Within an instant, he pointed it at Ulquiorra and screamed. "Eat it!_ GRAAAAAAAAAAAN REEEEY CEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_!"

Ulquiorra's eyes widened in surprise and his right hand quickly flickered to his own zanpakuto. A light blue cone of energy engulfed the three espada in the black shadow of Hueco Mundo, rivaling the size of the fortress Las Noches in the distance.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Grimmjow laughed maniacally. "Have you had enough? Ulquiorra?" He was still continuously pouring a stream of spirit energy out of his right hand. "I can keep this up all night!"

A hand emerged from the energy blast, a pale, white hand. It reached towards its assailant and clenched across the skull, the skull of Grimmjow. The blue light disappeared. Ulquiorra, somewhat worse for wear after enduring a head-on Gran Rey Cero, materialized from the scattering light panting slightly. Meanwhile, in the hand holding Grimmjow, a green cero begins to charge.

"Submit. You have lost. What a pity that even your most powerful cero barely scratches me." His hand slides down to the center of Grimmjow's chest, and releases its contents, sending a surprised Grimmjow plunging across the desert. "Learn your place."

Ulquiorra turned abruptly and began walking towards Las Noches, leaving an engraged Grimmjow clenching his teeth and vowing revenge, in the sand.

_The espadas had been taking turns out on patrol, searching for the remaining possible Vasto Lordes. Starrk knew his turn was up, but he was unenthusiastic about his role._

"_What if one of them tries to fight me?" he complained._

"_Don't be such a baby!" Lillynette almost scolded. "Aizen says that we're Vasto Lorde too! And plus, we got that sword thingy." She laughed and toyed with the zanpakuto on his belt. "And you're number one remember?"_

"_Lillynette, stop it! It's not a toy." Starrk reproached her. "Fine. I suppose this is a fair price to pay for friends." he sighed. "Well then, come on, let's go."_

"_I'm two steps ahead of you! You snooze you lose!" she giggled from afar._

"_Kenpachi? What kind of name is that?"_ Stark wondered.

"Starrk!" Lillynette shouted in concern. "Are you all right?"

"Ow..." Starrk groaned halfheartedly. Although he really wasn't hurt, he decided to feign something like it, possibly to avoid an altercation.

"Starrk! get serious! These guys have some serious reiatsu going on!"

"_So what? It's not like we have to fight." _He thought.

About 20 or so meters away, two Shinigami were discussing the Arrancar that they had just attacked.

"That's impossible! My zanpakuto should have sliced cleanly through his neck!" the younger one complained. He had long black hair neatly arranged at the top.

"Don't worry. He's obviously one of those...Menos grande. Shouldn't be too hard to kill." The captain Kiganjo said. This man was a hulking brute, who preferred not to wear his captain's robes. When he spoke it sounded like he was perpetually clearing his throat.

"Perhaps he's a Vasto Lorde? I can't think of any other reason my blade would have been stopped!"

"Be serious Lieutenant. What are the chances of that?"

"It's not impossible."

"Lieutenant, I swear one of these days you'll actually meet a Vasto Lorde." Captain Kiganjo laughed deeply. "I suggest you stand back, Lieutenant."

"_Tanking a zanpakuto like that. Is he strong or stupid? It doesn't matter. My job is to kill hollows, and as Captain Kenpachi Kiganjo of the 11th division that is exactly what I will do!" _

"Starrk! He's coming! And he's fast for such a big guy!"

"_Doesn't seem that fast to me. Maybe Lillynette's just imagining things." _ Nevertheless, she was right. The stronger of the two seemed to decided to follow up on the attack. In nearly an instant he had bridged the 20 meter gap and was retracting his sword for a deathblow.

Starrk backstepped with a neat sonido. He had no intention of drawing his blade at any point in time yet. "Must we really fight?"

"Oh ho!" the shinigami exclaimed. His voice was gravelly; as if he had an everlasting amount of phlegm caught in his throat "This one can talk!" he rushed forward for another swing, which Starrk easily dodged again.

"_Oh, what a bother"_

"Come on! Are you weak? Crippled? Otherwise fight me!" A small combo, again, which was dodged by Starrk. Except this time, a ripple appeared in the air. Before he knew it, currents were flying at him.

His eyes widened, but his reflexes automatically twisted his body to dodge the oncoming projectiles. "_Hmm, not bad"_

The currents sailed past him and hit a dead tree. His eyes averted for a brief moment to watch as the tree was ripped in half.

"Like it? That's my Shikai, my first release." The Captain commented. "It amplifies the power of my sword blows, so that it can send..." followed by a quick collection of slashes at the ground in front of Starrk's feet. "my reiatsu straight at you!" The sand blew up in front of Starrk's feet, creating a smokescreen. A moment later, Kiganjo appeared through the smoke with his Zanpakuto in hand, ready to deliver another killing blow.

Starrk choked from the smoke, and appeared as if he were incapacitated by the smokescreen. It was late, that he realized the Captain had bridged the distance between him. The sword fell upon his unprotected skull

_Sonido_.

But he was faster than any Shinigami. There was no way Shunpo could possibly defeat Sonido.

_Boom_.

An enormous explosion warranted by the last blow erupted. Lillynette and Kiganjo's lieutenant stared in horror, as their superiors were engulfed by the colorness, bleak sand.

When the dust cleared, the image it presented was that of any fight. Two swords crossed, occupants staring at each other with intent.

"Ha! Finally motivated?"

"Not quite." Starrk responded. "Can't we pretend to fight instead?" His head appeared completely unharmed, save for the few cut hairs from Kiganjo's technique.

His opponent scowled. "Then perhaps I should show you more?"

"There's more?" Starrk asked, a little interested.

"Of course. We captains, the best of the best Shinigamis, have two releases each! Perhaps you'd like to see mine?" Kiganjo mocked.

"I wouldn't mind." Starrk answered.

With a mighty heave, Kiganjo swung his sword and parried Starrk backwards.

"It's too early for you to see my Bankai. Defeat my Shikai first, if you can!" With that another combination fired at where Starrk was just an instant ago.

"_Wait! Where'd he go? I could swear he was just..."_

"Please, don't be startled." Starrk appeared to have teleported right behind Kiganjo.

"_What trickery. Well, a quick backhand..."_ however, before he could finish the thought, Starrk was already above him.

"I simply want to see your Bankai." was the simple comment. He instantaneously fired a large blue cero at Kiganjo. "And you _will_ show me your Bankai."

A huge cloud of dust erupted where Kiganjo was visually apparent just a moment before. The shockwave created a mini-tsumani that moved outward, like a huge pebble splashing into a lake, catching both Lillynette and Kiganjo's young Lieutenant and forcing them backwards.

"Captain!" the young Lieutenant shouted. "Senbonzakura!" he exclaimed. "Clear up the dust!"

"That's quite all right, Byakuya..." Kiganjo emerged from the cloud, panting slightly. His skin seemed to be covered with burns, and his captain's robes had been torn in several places. "That is a cero, but much more powerful than any from a Gillian."

"I believe it's a Vasto Lorde. I have not been wrong often." Byakuya exclaimed.

"Don't be silly" Kiganjo dismissed. But he could not dispel the thought as easily as the comment. "_Is it possible? He's intelligent, he's powerful, he's human sized. But the chances of meeting a Vasto Lorde."_ he began to speak without realizing. "Tell me, are you a Vasto Lorde?"

Starrk blinked twice, and then answered. "I'm not sure what I am."

"Well then, you've earned it. I guess I'll show you my Bankai. But be warned!" Kiganjo began to laugh. "Baaaaankaaaaai!" he roared. His spiritual pressure, orange in color, flooded the vast, empty savannah. Lighting it up like a sunset.

Suddenly, the spiritual energy seemed to be sucked right back into his body. He smiled, apparently untransformed, and swung his blade.

In an instant a glowing humanoid appeared in front of Starrk. It swung its blade, glowing orange as well. Starrk easily parried it with his hand, when two more humanoids appeared. Starrk's eyes widened.

"_Are they made of his spiritual energy?"_ he wondered, as he sliced through all three clones. They dissipated, but not before being replaced by six more blobs of spiritual energy. Meanwhile, Kiganjo just sat back, watching, while his Lieutenant tended to his wounds made from the Cero.

Starrk was beginning to grow tired of the charade. He continued to dodge and parry, but did so in a way as to gather the ever increasing number of clones right in front of him.

"Cero" he lazily announced.

A bright blue blast of energy roared across the flat desert, starting from the center of his chest, obliterating any trace of Kiganjo's proxies. The sand kicked up around the wave of glowing lights that washed over the four people present.

Starrk sighed, not impressed with Kiganjo's Bankai. He prepared to unleash another instantaneous cero, one of his unreleased specialties.

"Cero" he announced again. He wondered why he even went through the trouble of saying what kind of attack he was about to perform. _Ah well_, he thought, _it's not like I could possibly be killed by him_.

A wide blue beam of light emerged from his left shoulder, bridging the gap between the new espada and the two captains in an instant and creating a spectacular show of light both deadly and aesthetically pleasing. The captain's eyes widened, but he was too slow to avoid the bolt of death that was shot at him.

The dust settled again for the third time, as the landscape changed from regular waves and small dunes to a giant crater and two ditches as results of the ceros.

"This is growing dull, Captain. Are you trying to mock me?" Starrk inquired. "I'd ask you to not underestimate me."

Kiganjo growled menacingly, his eyes laced with a fury of humiliation. His spiritual pressure began to flail around in the same manner, causing Lillynette to complain.

"Starrk! He got sand in my eyes! Do something!"

"Stay quiet Lillynette!"

"Hey, you'd better no be mean to me! After all, you need me to release!"

_Will I need to release against this guy? I doubt it, but she has a point._

Muruma cried at the top of his lungs and prepared to unleash a straight downwards kendo strike, one infused with massive spiritual energy, one that resembled a steroid version of his shikai.

"Get ready Starrk!" Lillynette warned him.

_I can probably tank this…should I?_

"What are you doing?" a voice came from behind him. In an instant, the owner had disappeared and appeared in front of Starrk's opponent, drawing his sword and wounding Kiganjo in one strike. He then used a quick sonido to appear in front of the terrified boy, using his hand to swiftly knock him unconscious.

"I suggest that you do not toy around with your opponents in the future." The voice's owner, who Starrk recognized as the fifth espada Ulquiorra, sheathed his sword and used his hand to distort the space around him, opening a garganta. "These characters come from the soul society. We _do not _want them to catch wind of our plans. You will finish them off next time." He tossed the now unconscious Captain into the Garganta, closing it. But before it closed, Starrk could swear he heard dialogue.

"_Hey! I think that's the 11__th__ division Captain!"_

"_Ya think so? Then this is my lucky break!" the voice laughed harshly. "Kenpachi Zaraki has a nice ring to it, doncha think?"_

Ulquiorra opened up a second garganta while Starrk watched silently. He tossed the boy to what seemed to look like a peaceful place with a bright blue sky, in contrast to the bleak black sky of Hueco Mundo. _He's showing mercy? _He thought.

"Your shift is over." Ulquiorra announced, and almost as if on cue the old man who had stormed into their room before appeared next to the pale and diminutive Cinco Espada.

Starrk took the hint very quickly, grabbed a still protesting Lillynette who was invariably about to suggest that he fight the old man right there and then, and using a quick sonido, almost teleported back to the fortress in the distance.

_I need some sleep_.


	2. Questions

rg **Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach.

**Me: Hi guys! Call meh Taffy!**

**Ichigo (muttering): Call him an idiot**

**Me (ignores that): Anyways, 2****nd**** chapter!**

Ulquiorra regretted agreeing to patrol with Barragan. Ordinarily, he was calm, meditative, and able to ignore any dirty or otherwise comments made in earshot of his highly perceptive senses. But this man, the former "leader" of the Espadas, was working on his last nerve with his rants.

"Barragan," Ulquiorra said with a tinge of annoyance. "Perhaps it would be a good time to drop the matter, unless you wish to challenge Lord Aizen or our new Espada."

This last comment, which was laced heavily with disrespect and contempt, left Barragan in the middle of his sentence. He seemed immensely shocked that Ulquiorra would speak to him with such a tone.

"BOY!" he roared. "You will learn to respect your KING! The king of Hollows! You and all of the other espadas, even Aizen! Are naught but an insect in my path to ultimate power!" He sent out his Spiritual Pressure, a small cyclone of red, in a small cyclone of dust and glowing red energy for emphasis of course."

It seemed that Ulquiorra's comment had backfired. But of course, he could do nothing but listen to another long winded speech on the freshly demoted Segunda's superiority.

Eventually Barragan's comments faded into an obscure buzz, which left the impression that a housefly was accompanying the two. But there was nothing in the bleak desert of Hueco Mundo, save for the occasional weak hollow that looked at the two espadas in fear. The fortress Las Noches shrank in the distance.

As soon as their home disappeared behind the horizon behind them, Ulquiorra noticed something that was wrong about the new hollow in front of them. Was it a hollow? It did not have a mask on, nor was there a discernable hollow hole.

This new creature turned towards the pair of espada. Its three eyes glowed a menacing yellow in the dark, the third eye above the other two. The moonlight showed its ugly features, the muscular body creaking as if it were held down in an invisible prison. Suddenly, it stood up on two legs and stepped into the moonlight, as if possessed.

Then with a screeching roar, the creature struck.

Ulquiorra noticed that Barragan had fallen silent when the new monster turned around to face them. However, to have _attack_ him, was simply incomprehensible. Ulquiorra knew very well that Barragan held every hollow in Hueco Mundo in contempt, whether it be the Vastos or the single soul ones, and for a nameless entity like this to attack him scarred his pride immensely.

"FOOL!" the old man snarled. "You _dare_ attack me?" With blinding speed, Barragan swung his axe towards his adversary, who jumped away. A crescent of high speed wind followed the axe swipe. Barragan was just _that_ strong.

But this creature was nothing to be laughed at either. It had the speed to dodge Barragan's attack. Ulquiorra's analytical eye quickly discerned what the creature might be. It was far too quick to be an ordinary hollow, and too small to be a Gillian or an Adjuchas. But it _did not_ have a hollow hole, or even a hollow mask! Missing the latter could be explained with Stark's situation, meaning he was a natural arrancar, but missing a hollow hole?

Barragan was playing cat and mouse with this scurrying beast, determined not to move an inch to destroy this "ant" as he referred to. The creature's movements, Ulquiorra discerned, was not achieved by Sonido or Shunpo. Ulquiorra's own pesquia made sure of that. It was neither hollow nor Shinigami.

_So what could it be_?

Surely Lord Aizen would have an answer. Ulquiorra decided it was time to return to the Castle.

"Barragan!" he shouted. He decided he would listen to his reprobations later for addressing the Segunda like so. "Leave him." Although Barragan was superior at combat, and he knew it, his arrogance prevented him from effectively winning battles. So with a quick Sonido, Ulquiorra dispatched the animal with his cupped hand. "It is time to return." He said simply. With that, he left his superior's side, not caring if Baraggan paid his words any need or not.

"Thank you Ulquiorra" Aizen commented. "Your eye is indeed a most useful tool."

"Thank you, Lord Aizen." Ulquiorra kneeled, momentarily shutting his eyes in subordinance. "It was no trouble."

"Allow me to explain what this is." Aizen said calmy. "You may have been under the impression that only two worlds exist being the living one. Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society. Unfortunately," he brushed a strand of hair out of his face, making the next comment sound ominous. "That is not correct."

Aizen replayed the events from Ulquiorra's eye. Showing off every angle of the combatant.

"The creature…is a minor demon." He turned back around to face the espada in the empty throne room. They were the only people alive in the room. "This one's power, seems to rival that of a common Gillian's…" he smirked.

"Why exactly is it here, if I may ask?" Ulquiorra inquired.

"Oh. I nearly forgot." But it did not seem to be the case at all for the seemingly omniscient soul reaper. He turned around, again with his trademark ability at creating suspense yet knowing everything. "Would you permit me to inquire upon you a question first?"

Both of them knew that Aizen was only saying this to create suspense. There was no way that Ulquiorra would, or even _could_ refuse.

"Of course." He said obediently.

"Ulquiorra, do you remember anything from your past?"

Ulquiorra was taken aback by the question posed by Aizen. He was not expecting such a query.

"I…" he stopped, unsure of what to say.

"It is quite all right. I believe you answer is a resounding 'no', is it not?"

"How did you discover…"

"You…Ulquiorra, are no ordinary espada. You are not even an ordinary hollow." His all-knowing smile returned.

"What do you mean, Lord Aizen?" his calm demeanor inside had shattered with Aizen's knowledge of his past. But he had not yet decided to show this.

"That, my dear espada, is an excellent question. You may have noticed that you have powers beyond your… murcielago resurrecion, haven't you?"

This was certainly true, but the black haired emotionless arrancar was unable to formulate the words. It was as if Aizen's knowledge was choking the words back down his throat. Certainly his monstrous reiatsu would have no trouble accomplishing such a feat.

"I will leave you to discover the answer on your own, le Cinco. I have no reservations that you will quickly understand the meaning of my words here."

"Yes, Lord Aizen." Ulquiorra managed to squeeze out. His voice was shaking and he had almost stuttered. This was certainly not what he would ordinarily sound like. But…

"Oh, and when you do…" Aizen turned back to face his subordinate. His smile was perfectly innocent, yet incredibly menacing at the same moment. "You will no longer be… the fifth espada."

The pressure on Ulquiorra suddenly lifted. So Aizen _had_ indeed been exerting his reiatsu in the room making it difficult for Ulquiorra to speak or to move, but to do what? Both Soul Reaper and Arrancar knew even in his released form, Murcielago could not stand the monstrosity that was the devious Shinigami's power before him. So _what was the point of Aizen's show of strength?_

As he walked down the hallway that led away from Aizen's "throne room", he clenched his fist, accentuating the lines and the veins in his flexed forearm and fist momentarily before relaxing. Staring at his open palm, now tinted pink from the blood that rushed to assist his muscles, he pondered the answer to his question.

"He expects me to gain more power." Ulquiorra said emotionlessly to himself as he walked past doors of the Arrancars that lived in Las Noches. He had not even noticed, in the ensuing turmoil of his mind, that his original question on why the demon was here had been expertly deflected by Aizen.

Meanwhile, in one of the rooms the fifth espada passed, two Arrancars discussed what was on their minds.

"That Ulquiorra is _way_ creepy."

"I know! Talking to himself? I don't think he has any friends."

"Shh! Don't let him hear you! He's still an espada."

**Me: You MAY think this chapter is short, but don't worry! This was a Saturday project!**

**Ichigo: Yeah right, slacker. You still promised I'd be in it. But there's no Ichigo in it.**

**Me: All in good time, my friend. Don't worry.**

**Ichigo: I'd better not die!**

**Me: No promises!**

**Ichigo: Why you little…**

**Me (interrupting): Anyways, review!**


	3. Resolution

**Me: Hi guys, no introduction. Straight to story!**

**Ichigo: Wai-**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

A brilliant flash of green energy filled up the night sky, a blast that dwarfed the fortress of Las Noches. From afar, two slim figures, illuminated like insects in the light, floated, watching.

"Ulquiorra", a female arrancar who resembled the winged demon she was addressing. "That was amazing. You have gained power far beyond that of any normal Arrancar." She looked on. "I wonder if that because I'm your sister, I am part demon as well."

Ulquiorra glanced towards his sister. His tail flicked nonchalantly, as if batting flies away. It was not even to her that he would smile or show empathy. His face was set in a blank stare eternally. "You most likely are, Carella" He clasped his hands together.

A ripple of energy emerged from between his hands. When he separated them a glowing lance emerged.

"Lanza…" Ulquiorra wondered what he should name his new ability.

"Of lightning" Carella finished for him. She looked almost exactly like Ulquiorra when

he was not doing anything special with his Zanpakuto, except with a softer face and a more feminine body. It was expected, as she was his sole fraccion member.

"De Relampago…" he uttered. With a magnificent throw, the javelin sailed towards the moon. Somewhere far away, another column of light erupted from the bleached sands of Hueco Mundo.

"It is truly a horrific technique." His sister commented.

"If I could control it."

"And your true form. Your spiritual pressure is…overwhelming."

"I am sorry." With that he sealed his sword once more. His skin, wings, and tails seemed to drain like a whirlpool into the hole set at the middle of his chest.

"Shall we return?" Carella inquired.

Wordlessly, they made their way back home.

Barragan had not been in a good mood lately. It seemed like his absolute authority was being usurped from under his feet. First a lazy bum took his position as Espada leader! Then he sees a few horrific explosions in the distance that exceeded the destructive capabilities of anything he had.

"Damn those brats! Damn that Aizen!" He smashed the table he had been sitting by. "They think they have the nerve to topple me from my godhood?"

"They should think nothing of the sort, milord." One of his attendants agreed. It was clear that he was trembling with fear, and had no intentions of staying any longer than he needed. Lord Aizen, after all, would not care if a Gillian or two were killed. He did not seem to care much even when Nelliel had been struck down.

"Silence you incompetent fool!" Barragan's thundering voice caused the nervous servant to drop the dishes he was holding. "See what I mean?" he roared. "They are just getting more useless."

"Yes sir!"

"Get out of my sight!" He thundered.

The terrified Arrancar was all too relieved to escape from Barragan's presence. Perhaps he should answer the call to the new Primera. The lazy long haired Espada seemed to appreciate his presence more and was not at all too intimidating (and as the Primera offered him a sense of security from the old man). He left, Barragan's muttering subsiding under his fast and hurried steps.

Stark had been wandering the hallways, searching for something to do. He was done with sleep, he had decided. His eyes followed the cracks on the floor, a testament to the bleakness of his life. He had not yet made too many friends.

Suddenly, a young female Arrancar appeared as he was nearing the corner. Stark had not yet allowed his reflexes to take over and inevitably bumped into her. The two shared an awkward embrace for a single moment before collapsing in a heap on the floor.

"Ow…" Stark reflexively ejected. He suddenly noticed the girl on the floor in front of him. "I'm sorry…I wasn't watching my step…"

She looked back at him. Her features looked almost exactly like that of Ulquiorra's, but with a kinder complexion. Her dark eyes held much more meaning than that of the male demon espada as well.

"It's…no problem." She brushed some dust off her shoulder. "I should be the one apologizing. You must be the new Primera, are you not?"

Stark was surprised. _How did she know?_ He wondered. "I am an Espada." He said simply.

She chuckled a little. It seemed very strange to him, as no one had seen Ulquiorra even smile before. Yet her features struck him as a feminine Ulquiorra. Nonetheless, there was beauty to her smile, and it pleased him.

"_Just_ an Espada?"

"Just an Espada" he repeated, almost jokingly. He found himself slightly smiling as well.

"Well, I am Carella Cifer." She extended her pale hand to his. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I am, Coyote Stark." He grasped her hand in his, soft to the touch quite unlike his rough and weathered palm.

"Mr. Stark," she withdrew her hand with a small gasp as if he had hurt her.

"I-I'm…sorry." He managed. _Sometimes I don't know my own strength._

"It's quite all right. I was wondering if you were doing anything."

Stark thought about what he was doing. Certainly he did not need anymore sleep as of then. He decided that he was free.

"If you weren't," she continued. "It would be a pleasure for you to join us for a meal."

Stark scratched the back of his head with his right hand, his left fidgeting in his clean-white robe. "I-It'd be my pleasure Ma'am."

Carella laughed lightly again. "Please try not to hurt anyone, Mr. Primera" She held up the hand that Stark had shaken ever so 'lightly' for demonstration.

Stark flushed a little. But it was a warm feeling that from his face spread to the rest of his body. Lillynette should be here for this, he thought, but after a spell he decided that all the abuse she had given him was justice for this.

The warmness spread to his heart. And for a very good reason.

For the first time in his life, Stark had made a friend.

_I don't want to be alone_.

**Review please!**


End file.
